Embassy of Nepal

Dr. Shankar P. Sharma, Ambassador of Nepal to the United States, has been honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the East-West Center, Hawaii, USA and the East-West Center Association. This award recognizes outstanding accomplishments, including significant contributions to the promotion of better relations and understanding among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific, and the United States; significant achievement in his career field and continuing support for the goals and objectives of the Center.

Ambassador Dr. Sharma is honored for his accomplishments as the Nepalese Ambassador to the United States, his long and distinguished service with the government of Nepal, including the Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission, and for his many years as leader of the EWCA Nepal Chapter during which he revitalized the chapter.

Other recipients of this award are D. Hao Ping, the Vice Minister for Education in China, Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which received the Nobel Peace Prize and Dr. Delia B. Rodriguez-Amaya, Professor Food Science at the University of Campinas, Brazil.

Ambassador Dr. Sharma will officially receive this award during the EWC/EWCA International Conference which will be held from 2- 5 July, 2010 in Honolulu. President Barak Obama has been invited as a Chief Guest for the Conference.

Ambassador Shankar Sharma presented the Letters of Credence to Barack Obama February

His Excellency Dr. Shankar Prasad Sharma, Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, presented the Letters of Credence to His Excellency Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, today amid a ceremony at the White House. President Obama extended a warm welcome to His Excellency Dr. Sharma and his family at the White House.

Welcoming Dr. Sharma as the Ambassador of Nepal to the United States of America, President Obama said that the friendship between Nepal and United States is rooted in our shared, and fundamental, commitment to democracy. He recalled his meeting with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal during last falls’ UN General Assembly in New York and appreciated Nepal for contributing to UN peacekeeping operations. He also expressed gratitude for the role played by Nepal in such crucial multilateral efforts.

President Obama mentioned that Nepal and the United States continue to cooperate on the global challenge of climate change and wished to work together in order to ensure a safe future for our citizens. President Obama wished to work together with Nepal to advance the shared goals and deepen the strong and abiding friendship between two countries.

On his reply remarks during the credentialing ceremony Ambassador Dr. Sharma conveyed President Obama warm personal regards and best wishes from His Excellency Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, President of Nepal. He also expressed sincere greetings and best wishes of the Government and people of Nepal for the personal good health and happiness of President Obama and continued progress and prosperity of the people and Government of United States of America.

Ambassador Dr. Sharma appreciated the unflinching support of the United States Government to the historic Peoples Movement of April 2006 for the restoration of democracy and human rights in Nepal and the ensuing support for Nepal’s democracy and peace process. Condemning the September eleven terrorist attack as a crime against humanity and its dignity, he reiterated that Nepal unequivocally stands against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The Ambassador also requested for enhanced level of US Government’s assistance to draft the new constitution as well as to meet the immediate reconstruction, rehabilitation and development needs of the people of Nepal in the post conflict situation.

Ambassador Dr. Sharma was accompanied by his spouse Mrs. Kalpana Sharma, daughter Miss. Silpa Sharma and mother Rama Devi Updhyaya at the White House credentialing ceremony.

Embassy of Nepal

Washington DC

February 24, 2010